Means and method for building embankments



Dec. 13, 1932. c. J. M FARLIN MEANS AND METHOD FOR BUILDING EMBANKMENTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 24 1952 Dec. 13, 1932. c. .1. M FARLIN MEANS AND METHOD FOR BUILDING EMBANKMENTS Filed June 24, 1932 4 Sheets-$heet 2 Dec. 13, 1932. c. J. M FARLIN 1,391,003

MEANS AND METHOD FOR BUILDING EMBANKMENTS Filed June 24, 1952 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 24 25 r l I] 22 /e Z] 33! z2-\ 7 I 2 3130 27 Q k\\\Lll/// Dec. 13, 1932. c. J. MCFARLIN 1,891,003

' MEANS AND METHOD FOR BUILDING EMBANKMENTS Filed June 24, 1932 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Dec. 13, 1932 PATENT OFFICE CHARLES .T. MCFARLIN, OF KEELING, TENNESSEE MEANS AND METHOD, FOR BUILDING EMBANKMENTS Application filed June 24, 1932. Serial No. 619,035.

This invention relates to a method of building an embankment and to the means used in carrying out this method.

In building levees to prevent the'overfiow of rivers in alluvial country, dirt is removed from a comparatively shallow borrow pit which necessarily must cover considerable area and extending away from the embankment to considerable distance and this dirt is transported and placed in an embankment, ordinarily known as a levee. The problem involves the excavation of the material, the transportation thereof and the depositing of the material in the embankment. The pres- 5 ent invention endeavors to simplify the loading of the dirt, to reduce the cost of the machinery necessary in the loading, to simplify the transportation and even more to simplify the final depositing of the dirt in the embankment. v

The objects of the present invention are:

To provide a simple and eflicient method of loading, transporting and depositing of the material and to provide means forjmore particularly transporting and depositing the material.

The means by which the foregoing and other objects are accomplished and the method of their accomplishment will readily be understood from the following specification on reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional side elevation showing diagrammatically the means and method used in one embodiment of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a substantially similar view, showing a slight modification in the means and method of placing the material in the embankment;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken as on the line IIIIII of Fig. 1, showing the method of loading employed;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken as on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1;

F ig.-5 is a transverse section as on the line VV of Fig. 2; h

Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the head and tail ends of the conveyorirrespective of the supporting and actuating mechanisms;

F1 7 1s a corres ondin side elevation 13 7 Fig. 8 is a cross section taken as on the line V-V of Fig. 2;

Fig. 9 is a similar fragmentary cross section taken as on the line IVIV of Fig. 1;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of one of the conveyor flights or aprons; and

Fig. 11 is a sectional side elevation taken as on the line XIXI of Fig. 8, showing the driving mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals, 10 is an embankment which is being built, 11 is a borrow pit from which the dirt is being excavated and transported to the embankment. 12 is a conveyor having a head tower 13 which carries the driving mechanism and a tail tower 14 around which the conveyor mechanism idles. The conveyor comprises essentially a continuous trackway 15, preferably of inverted box shape (Figs. 8 and 9) from which a pluralityof hangers 16, depend. Each of these hangers is supported by rollers 17 which are housed within and roll on the trackw'ay 15. 18 is a secondary trackway which is coextensive with the trackway 15 until the dumping area is reached at which point it is interrupted.

Each hanger supports a rectangular apron 19 which is pivotally connected thereto as by a hinge rod 20. An extension 21 of the apron 19 beyond the pivot point, carries rollers 22 which run on the underside of the track 18. The aprons are supported during loading and transportation in horizontal position by and from these tracks. Each hanger is provided with a portion 23 coextensive in length with the apron which extends vertically upward forming a back for the apron. When the apron reaches the end of the track 18 the roller 22 carried by the extension 21 being unsupported, the apron swings into the position .shown in Fig. 9, dumping its load. Theapron extensions 21 are forked to embrace bars 24 which are clamped to a pair of continuous cables 25, 26 as by clamps 27 28. These cables are carried by grooved pulleys 29, 30 in the head tower and by a similar pair of pulleys in the tail tower. The pulleys are provided with notches 31, 32which are suitably spaced to engage the clips of successive bars thus providing a positive and concurrent drive for the two cables. The pulleys 29, (and similarly the tail pulleys) are mounted on and secured to a vertical shaft 33 which is journalled in suitable bearings. The head shaft 33 is driven as by a bevel gear 34 with which meshes a bevel pinion 35 which is mounted on and secured to a shaft 36 journalled in suitable bearings. 37 is a motor which drives a reduction gear 38 as through a belt 39 and pulley 40. 41 is the low speed shaft of the reduction gear and -12 a clutch through which the shafts 31 and 36 may be coupled.

The tracks 15 are supported by hangers i3 and the tracks 18 by vertical struts i l. In that form of the device shown in Fig. 2, these hangers and struts are supported in the dumping area by trusses 45, 46 which trusses are carried by the head tower 13 and additional towers 47, 48. In case of excessive width of embankment additional towers may be added to shorten the length of truss. Outside of the dumping area the hangers and struts are supported at suitable intervals from supporting frames 49, these frames being used over the entire length of the conveyor both in the pit and there outside and in that form of the invention shown in Fig. 1, extending across the dumping area as well.

These supporting frames may comprise a flat plate or shoe 50 from which posts 51 extend vertically upward. 52 is a transverse bar connecting the upper end of these posts, from which bar the hangers 43 and struts l i depend.

The tail tower preferably is supported on a wheeled truck 53 which runs on a track 5%, a transverse trench 55 being out below the .level of the pit to accomplish the necessary extra depth required. In that form of the device shown in Fig. l, the track in the dumping area is supported on the completed fill or embankment, the dirt being directly dumped into this embankment as shown in Fig. 4:.

In the modified form of the device shown in Figs. 2, 5 and 9 the conveyor is supported on the original ground in advance of the embankment as it is being built. In such case the dirt is dropped from the aprons on a belt 56 by which it is traversed beneath the conveyor and deposited in the embankment. The belt frame is supported by hangers 57 from tracks 58 which are coextensive in length with the trusses 45 and 46. Preferably a separate conveyor is used for each span in order to avoid the necessity of dismount-mg to shift from span to span. The belt 56 may be driven as by a motor 59 through a belt 60 and belt pulley 61. r

In using the device a trench is cut transversely to the line of the proposed embankment to the full depth and width of the borrow pit which is to be dug, the width of the trench being sufiicient to receive the conveyor, a short tail trench 55 being dug at the remote side of the proposed borrow pit to receive the tail tower track an d truck. The dirt removed from this initial trench is used to establish a short section of the proposed levee. The conveyor is then erected in the trench and therefrom across the intervening berm to and across the proposed levee site, and the preliminary fill made thereon. After installa tion a strip 62 of the borrow pit parallel to the initial trench is scarified or otherwise broken up to provide loose dirt in small lumps, and by means of a grader 63 having a blade 64 this dirt is moved onto the conveyor aprons, the conveyor having previously been started up. The dirt so loaded is carried by the conveyor to the site of the proposed levee and is there deposited. The particular point at which depos t is made being determined by the extent of the track 18 and being varied or shifted by the removal of sections of this track or by the addition of sections thereto.

Scarifying, and shifting of the dirt by the grader onto the conveyor, is continued until the level of the scarified section is as low as that of the original trench at which time the entire conveyor is shifted, the conveyor is out being shifted into the new out just completed and the conveyor and outside a like amount. It will be particularly noted that the aprons travel very close to the ground level and that with the possible exception of a narrow ridge of d rt at the immediate outer edge of these aprons it is entirely possible to accomplish the final loading from the scarified pit at a lower level than the aprons themselves. In order however to pick up loose dirt and prevent packing of the dirt under the conveyor aprons, an occasional flight or apron 19A, of the conveyor has its forward edge depressed to form a scoop which will pick up this loose dirt.

It will particularly be noted that the apparatus for load ng the dirt on the conveyor is comparatively simple and inexpensive as compared with the ordinary drag line or shovel which is usually used. It will further be seen that the amount of lift of the dirt is reduced to a minimum since the dirt is shifted onto the conveyor rather than elevated and placed thereon and that the loading of dirt which is well broken up into small lumps or sizes accomplishes a much more uniform and easy compacted embankment than that secured where loading mstrumentalities pick up the dirt in large masses.

So far as the machinery used is concerned i it will be noted that the entire strain of actuating the conveyor is taken care of by the cables-through which the aprons are shifted so that these aprons with their hangers and rollers are each entirely independent and are not coupled or otherwise secured together thus permitting them to be made with strength sufficient for load carrying purposes only as distinguished from load carrying and transmitting purposes.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In conveying apparatus, an overhead track, a roller supported hanger depending therefrom, an apron hinged to said hanger, said apron having a rearward extension carrying rollers adjacent the end thereof, a track resisting upward movement of said rollers and adapted thereby to hold said apron in horizontal position and traction means acting independently on said apron for shifting it along said trackways.

2. In conveying apparatus, an overhead track, roller supported hangers depending therefrom, aprons, each hinged to a hanger, each of said aprons having a rearward extension carrying rollers adjacent the end thereof, a track disposed parallel to said first track resisting upward movement of said rollers and adapted thereby to hold said aprons in horizontal position and independent traction means acting on said aprons for shifting them along said trackways.

3. In conveying apparatus, an overhead track roller supported hangers depending therefrom, rectangular aprons having their end edges abutting, each hinged to a hanger, said aprons each having a rearward extension carrying rollers adjacent the end thereof, a track supported in parallel rotation to said first track, resisting upward movement of said rollers and adapted thereby to hold said aprons in horizontal position and traction means acting on said aprons for shifting them concurrently along said trackways.

4. In a conveyor, a continuous track accomplishing a complete circuit, a plurality of roller supported hangers depending therefrom, a plurality of aprons, hingedly sup ported each by one of said hangers, said aprons closely abutting the adjacent aprons on each side thereof, a secondary track extending continuously parallel to said first track throughout the load carrying area of said conveyor, each of said aprons having an extension beyond said hinge point and beneath said second track and each having rollers carried thereby cooperating with said second track to hold said apron in horizontal position, a pair of continuous cables each accomplishing the complete circuit of said conveyor, means for concurrently actuating said cables and means carried by said cables each engaging an apron extension for accomplishing individual transference of said aprons.

5. In a conveyor, a continuous track accomplishing a complete circuit, a plurality of roll-er supported hangers depending therefrom, a plurality of aprons hingedly supported each by one of said hangers, a secondary track extending continuously parallel to said first track throughout the load carrying area of said conveyor, each of said aprons having an extension beyond said hinge point and beneath said second track and each having rollers carried thereby cooperating with said second track to hold said apron in horizontal position, a pair of con: tinuous cables each accomplishing the complete circuit of said conveyor, means for concurrently actuating said cables and means carried by said cables each engaging-an apron extension for accomplishing individual transference of said aprons.

6. In a conveyor, a continuous track accomplishing a complete circuit, a plurality of roller supported hangers depending therefrom, a plurality of aprons hingedly Vsupported each by one of said hangers, a secondary track extending continuously parallel to said first track, throughout the load carrying area of said conveyor, each of said aprons having an extension beyond said hinge point and beneath said second track and cooperating therewith to hold said apron in horizontal position, a pair of continuous cables each accomplishing the complete circuit of said conveyor, means for concurrent- 1y actuating said cables and means carried'by said cables engaging said apron extensions for accomplishing individual transference of said aprons.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

CHARLES J MGFARLIN. 

